1. Field of Invention
Generally, the present invention relates to cable management devices for network equipment racks. In particular, the invention relates to an angled patch panel and cable support bar therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
Cables, such as UTP, ScTP, coaxial and fiber optic cables, transmit data, voice, video and/or audio information in the telecommunications industry. Patch panel and network equipment enclosure rack systems are well-known in the industry. They manage and organize such cables both to and from such equipment and/or to and from such patch panels. These systems usually include the standard EIA 19″, 23″ or other distribution frame rack on which one or more patch panels, network equipment, fiber optic enclosures and the like are mounted. Rack enclosures serve various functions, including their use as slack trays, splice trays, cable organizers and patch panels. These rack enclosures also serve as interconnect or cross-connect enclosures when they interface with equipment. Additionally, rack systems may serve as a telecommunications closet, allowing the cables to be terminated, spliced, patched and/or stored at various places along their length.
The rack is usually formed from a frame having mounting apertures located along the vertical legs or walls of the rack. Patching equipment, such as a patch panel, is mounted onto the rack so as to generally define a patching side, where patch cords from another active device or another patch panel can be cross-connected and interconnected, and a distribution side, where cables from network equipment and/or work station areas are terminated. Generally, some form of cable management is provided on both sides of the rack to support and route the cables. While preventing detrimental bending is always important even for copper cabling, with the increasing use of fiber optic connectors as applied to connector rack systems, proper cable management and bend radius control has become increasingly important. Many known systems are unable to provide complete bend radius control, are inefficient, are difficult to manufacture, are difficult to manage and access, and/or have other drawbacks. Thus, improvement in the cable management of network rack systems is desired. In particular, many patch panel systems require both horizontal and vertical cable management within the rack.
There is a need for a patch panel design that eliminates the necessity for one or more of these cable management devices.
There is also a need for a patch panel system that can accommodate more port capacity and provide additional space for containing cabling.